Once, a friend asked Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who was a fearless fighter for the independence of India, ‘Sir! You are in the forefront of the national struggle for Swaraj. You have declared that Swaraj is our birth – right and that you will win it. Well. When we achieve independence will you be the Prime Minister of Free India, or will you accept the Finance Portfolio?’ Tilak replied, ‘My dear friend! If by freak of fortune, India attains Swaraj. I will go back to High School I have founded long ago in Pune and work, once again, as the teacher of mathematics. I am not content to be a leader; I wish to prepare a hundred leaders every year. I like to be a king – maker, not the King.’ (SSS Vol.11, p. 128)

Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the great patriot and freedom fighter, who was in the teaching profession, was asked as to what position he would like to occupy when the country became independent. He replied that he was not interested in becoming a Minister or holding any office in the administration. He would prefer to go back to his profession of teaching so that he could mould several students into ministers or rulers rather than be a ruler himself. Such is the nobility and dignity of the teaching profession. (SSS Vol.19, p. 8)

People like Lal, Bal and Pal had taken part in politics in many ways, and they served the country through politics. But how long will their reputation or the value of their work remain in this country? Of these people, because Bal Gangadhar Tilak, whom we refer to as Bal, had translated Bhagavad Gita, and had written commentaries on scriptures, his name has remained, to some extent, in this country. (SSB 1977, p. 129)

Yogi Suddhananda Bharathiar says that when he visited Sai Baba at Shirdi in the company of the Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Karandiker, Sai Baba told them that freedom won by the rifle would be of no avail, for what is won by force will be lost to force. He advised that independence must be won by and for spiritual progress. Sathya Sai Baba also places first emphasis on love, based on sympathy and understanding. (SSSm Vol.1, p. 64)